Londoners wasted no time getting the Canada Day long weekend party started.

A roaming theatre, a synthetic skating rink, red-and-white cupcakes for the nation’s sesquicentennial — it was all a foretaste of a holiday party like no other.

Friday marked the kickoff of Sesquifest, a multiple-day celebration of the nation’s 150th birthday, outside Covent Garden Market and the Budweiser Gardens in the city’s downtown.

MPs, the mayor, and city councillors started off the birthday celebrations by viewing a special film exploring Canada in the igloo-shaped Sesquidome, which is open to Londoners this weekend.

The film, which took three years to put together, features striking 360-degree views of all things Canada, including the Rockies, the northern lights, hockey and indigenous ceremonies.

The Dome — London is one of six Ontario centres getting it, but the only one for the Canada Day long weekend — will be in London until Monday before it heads to Windsor on its Ontario tour.

The film will also be shown in theatres and planetariums across Canada, becoming a nationwide experience.

“We hope to showcase Canada like it was never seen before and remind Canadians just how lucky we are to call this place home,” said Joanne Loton, the executive producer.

A synthetic skating rink just outside the dome gives people a chance to do one of the most Canadian things, but one associated with winter more than summer — ice skating. Kids wearing shorts and T-shirts tried out their blades on the “ice,” a synthetic surface and the real thing, while others made their way to the market side of the event.

Near the market, a 150 square-foot, Canada flag-shaped cupcake display was surrounded by Londoners who couldn’t wait to try one of Sunripe food store’s 2,500 pastries.

Those included Janet Minor and her three grandchildren, ages six to three — Tyler Tsui, Rider Houle and Stella Houle — who waited for more than 20 minutes, which to the kids felt like hours.

There was also a First Nations gathering, featuring indigenous dancers in traditional regalia.

Karsyn Summers took her lunch break at the festival with a friend to watch the dancers on stage. Summers is from the Chippewa of the Thames First Nation and grew up in Oneida, near London.

She said that while Canada Day isn’t celebrated where she lives, she still believes it’s a great event where First Nations people can showcase their culture.

“We can turn it into something positive,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity to make relationships better between Canadians and First Nations.”